Northwest of London, within the Hertfordshire county, sits the ancient town centre of Hemel Hempstead. This district in particular sits east of the River Glade that cuts the centre of Hemel Hempstead in two. Sitting within the Dacorum Council that covers Berkhamsted, Tring, and other local villages, Hemel Hempstead’s housing market covers a variety of units; from large suburban country homes to smaller terraced properties closer to the town centre. After its complete urban regeneration in 1946 following the New Towns Act, and its frequent rail services to London and beyond, Hemel Hempstead has become a key commuter area benefitting from a more relaxed pace of life and urban connectivity.

Hemel Hempstead has historic origins and is first recorded in 705 AD by Offa, King of Essex, in an exchange with the Saxon Bishop of London! It was then documented again with the 1086 Domesday Book survey, which reveals that by the 11th century it was owned by William the Conquerer’s half brother, Robert Count of Mortain. However, there is a large amount of evidence to suggest Roman settlement, which coincides with the Roman settlement of St Albans nearby. Roman Villas have been excavated in areas such as Boxmoor and Gadebridge which highlights the trade links between Hemel Hempstead and St Albans. The town blossomed over the centuries, and was eventually given a market charter by King Henry VIII in 1539, which helped the town grow into an industrial powerhouse at the advent of the 18th and 19th centuries.

However, the town faced incredible hardship during WWII, and was the site of major Blitz attacks, which did significant damage to the town and its infrastructure. This is a major reason as to why Hemel Hempstead was regenerated into a New Town in the immediate aftermath of WWII, helmed by landscape architect Geoffrey Jellicoe. One of the most prominent features of the New Town design was the Water Gardens in 1962, designed to be the new civic centre of the town. Based around the River Glade, with beautiful landscaped gardens and natural wildlife, the gardens joined the English Heritage register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in 2010, given its unique mid-century design patterning.

Hemel Hempstead is split into two distinctive areas, the old and the new, and this area predominantly features the old. A majority of the housing stock in this immediate area is 19th century large detached homes flanked by meadowland and the surrounding heath. As such, house prices tend to be on the higher side, with properties selling in excess of £1 million. Despite this however, the housing market across the entirety of Hemel Hempstead is constantly developing, and there are more than 6 separate housing developments occurring across the town!